Have you or a loved one been injured in a life-altering way because of someone else’s irresponsible actions? If so, you may have a catastrophic injury on your hands, which can result in astronomical medical bills, pain and anguish, and an inability to work or carry out basic activities of daily living like you once could.
Accidents that cause catastrophic injuries are devastating, but you can fight to hold the guilty party accountable and get the compensation you need to pay for your medical care and more.
Our personal injury lawyers in Stone Mountain will be there for you during every step of the legal process, and they will give you the best chance possible at receiving compensation that can help you focus on moving on and getting back to your life.
What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?
Catastrophic injuries are most often regarded as those that result in an inability for the victim to make a full recovery in the foreseeable future. This may mean they have sustained permanent disabilities or disfigurements, but there is a wide range of injuries that can be considered catastrophic. Some examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Severe burns
- Lost limbs
- Head and neck injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Nerve damage
- Loss of sight or hearing
- Permanent organ damage
Some of the above injuries, such as nerve damage or burns, can be temporary if they are mild enough, but they are considered catastrophic if a healthcare professional deems them unlikely to fully heal.
What Types of Damages Can You Collect for Catastrophic Injuries?
Damages for catastrophic injury cases are typically broken up into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are tangible, in that they are easily measurable and are directly related to the costs a victim accrues in the aftermath of an accident that leads to a catastrophic injury. Common economic damages include:
- Hospital stays
- Visits to doctors
- Surgery
- Medical devices
- Prescription medications
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Home health assistance
- Lost earnings and reduced earning capacity
Be sure to keep your bills organized in a logical fashion, as this can help your catastrophic injury attorney in Stone Mountain request an adequate amount of economic damages in a settlement or court case.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are less straightforward, as they are not so easy to measure. They often deal with emotional trauma and other impacts the accident has on a victim that aren’t directly related to finances. Some common non-economic damages include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety and depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Disfiguration
- Pain and suffering
- Chronic pain
Your Stone Mountain catastrophic injury attorney will fight to get you additional compensation from non-economic damages, as catastrophic injuries impact far more than just your finances. Before you can collect any damages, however, you and your lawyer must be able to prove that the other party was responsible for at least 51% of the fault.
Determining Fault in Georgia
Georgia is considered a comparative fault state, meaning that multiple parties involved in an accident can carry at least a portion of the blame for causing an accident. In order to collect any damages in Georgia, it must be determined that you have less than 49% of the fault. As long as the other party is at least 51% responsible for the accident that led to your injuries, you can collect damages.
Even still, if you are assigned a portion of the blame, it can significantly impact the amount of compensation you can receive. If, for example, a judge determines that you have 20% fault for the accident that caused your injuries because you failed to use a turning signal, you can still receive compensation, but you will receive 20% less than you otherwise would.
The other party will try their hardest to minimize the injuries and other impacts you have suffered, and they will exaggerate your role in the accident to put the majority of the fault on you.
When you have a skilled catastrophic injury lawyer on your side, you won’t have to face it all on your own.
Atlanta Roots, Nationwide Reach.
Distance is no obstacle. We work with clients across the country and make sure every one of them feels taken care of, no matter how far the call travels.
Filing Your Claim on Time
In Georgia, you have up to two years from the date of the accident to file your personal injury claim, per Georgia Code §9-3-33. If you don’t file your claim within two years, you may not be able to take your claim to court, making you unable to collect damages for your injuries. For this reason, it’s important to get to work on filing your claim as soon as you are able to.
If you decide to work with a Stone Mountain catastrophic injury lawyer, we can help you with filing a claim and ensuring that it gets turned in on time. Mistakes with the claim paperwork can also result in your case being tossed out, but we will review every line to make sure the form is filled out accurately.
Working on lengthy paperwork isn’t something anyone looks forward to doing, but you cannot receive the compensation you need without doing it on time.
Working with the Best Stone Mountain Catastrophic Injury Lawyers
At John Foy & Associates we have a team of qualified and talented catastrophic injury lawyers that want to help you hold the guilty party accountable and receive the compensation you need to move on with your life.
Many catastrophic injury victims understandably feel intimidated when trying to find the right lawyer to represent them, and they fear having to pay legal fees even if they don’t win their case.
John Foy & Associates doesn’t charge for legal representation unless you win your case, and we will be there for you throughout the entire process, from filing a claim to representing you in the courtroom. If you or a loved one has been severely injured in an accident, visit our website today to receive your free case review.
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